Health care data management

ABSTRACT

Health care data is stored in memory accessible to a server. The server allows users to access the health care data, such as across a communication network. In some embodiments a biometric identifier for a patient is stored with patient information. The biometric identifier can be used to control access to patient records and to quickly locate patient information associated with a particular patient.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/204,560 filed on Sep. 4, 2008, entitled HEALTH CARE DATA MANAGEMENT,which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/592,913 filed on Nov. 6, 2006, entitled METHOD OF COLLECTING ANDTRANSMITTING ADVANCE DIRECTIVES DOCUMENTATION, and aContinuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/962,267filed on Dec. 21, 2007, entitled MOBILE FINGERPRINT UNIT that claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/876,048,filed on Dec. 21, 2006, entitled MOBILE FINGERPRINT UNIT, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND

Health care records are often maintained by a patient's primarycaregiver. Perhaps the most common health care record is a medicalrecord folder that contains documents describing the medical history ofa patient. The documents often record information such as prescriptiondrug prescriptions, immunization records, allergies, physician notes,and other information about the medical history of the patient.

When a medical event occurs, however, such medical records are oftenunavailable to a caregiver. For example, if a medical emergency occurs,an emergency medical technician (EMT) is often the first to arrive atthe scene of the emergency. Since the EMT is typically not the primarycaregiver and does not have access to the health care records, the EMTis not able to make use of the information in the health care record. Insome instances, the patient is incapacitated and unable to provide thecaregiver with such information. Further, if the patient is transferredto a hospital for further treatment, the health care records may stillnot be available, or at least not for a period of time.

Further, even if a health care record is available to a caregiver, thehealth care record is typically limited to information provided by thephysician, and does not include the preferences or desires of thepatient. A caregiver often relies upon information provided by thepatient to match a health care record with the patient. Information suchas name and birth date are often used, for example. However, thisinformation is often publicly known and errors can occur in matching ahealth care record with a patient.

SUMMARY

In general terms, this disclosure is directed to health care datamanagement. In one possible configuration and by non-limiting example,patient information including health information is associated with abiometric identifier of a patient. The biometric identifier is used toaccess the patient information.

One aspect is a health care data management system comprising a serverdevice including a processor and memory. The memory contains a databaseand instructions executable by the processor to perform a method ofmanaging health care data. The method includes: registering a user byreceiving user data including a first biometric identifier; storing theuser data and the first biometric identifier in the database andassociating the first biometric identifier with the user data in thedatabase; receiving health care information pertaining to the user andstoring in the user data in the database; receiving from a caregivercomputing system a request including a second biometric identifier;searching the database to identify the first biometric identifier as amatch to the second biometric identifier; and transmitting at least partof the user data associated with the first biometric identifier to thecaregiver computing system in response to the request.

Another aspect is a method of graphically presenting health informationrelating to a patient. The method comprises: displaying a graphicalrepresentation of at least a portion of a human body of the patientincluding a first body part; displaying a health flag associated withthe first body part of the patient; receiving an input from a useridentifying the first body part; and displaying at least part of ahealth history associated with the first body part.

Yet another aspect is a method of notifying a first person about theoccurrence of an event pertaining to a registered user. The methodcomprises: registering a user as a registered user in a database bystoring user data including a name and a biometric identifier associatedwith the registered user in the database; storing contact informationinto the user data, the contact information identifying a manner ofcommunicating with the first user; identifying the occurrence of ahealth event associated with the registered user; and communicating withthe first user according to the identified manner of communicating toinform the first user that the user data has been accessed by acaregiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary health care datamanagement system according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary server of the healthcare data management system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the server shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary patient system ofthe health care data management system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of operating ahealth care data management system according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a screen shot of an exemplary login interface according to thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an exemplary home interface according to thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a screen shot of the home interface shown in FIG. 7 afterrunning a search.

FIG. 9 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient profile interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient status interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is screen shot of an exemplary power of attorney interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient search interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a screen shot of an exemplary client search interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a screen shot of an exemplary client profile interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient records interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a screen shot of an exemplary company profile interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is screen shot of an exemplary menu manager interface accordingto the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a screen shot of an exemplary user search interface accordingto the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a screen shot of an exemplary user profile interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a screen shot of an exemplary user log interface according tothe present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a screen shot of an exemplary track changes interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a screen shot of an exemplary manage roles interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a screen shot of an exemplary print forms interface accordingto the present disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a screen shot of an exemplary health history interfaceaccording to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thedrawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts andassemblies throughout the several views. Reference to variousembodiments does not limit the scope of the claims attached hereto.Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are notintended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possibleembodiments for the appended claims.

The logical operations of the various embodiments of the inventiondescribed herein are implemented as: (1) a sequence of computerimplemented operations running on a computing device; and/or (2)interconnected machine modules within the computing device. Modulesrepresent functions executed by program code such as commonly availableprogramming languages. The implementation used is a matter of choicedependent on the performance requirements of the particular programmabledevice, and associated computing devices. Accordingly, the logicaloperations making up the embodiments of the invention described hereincan be referred to alternatively as operations, modules, and the like.

FIG. 1 is schematic block diagram of an exemplary health care datamanagement system 100. System 100 includes server 102, recordsadministrator computing system 104, emergency vehicle computing system106, hospital computing system 108, and patient computing system 110. Insome embodiments communication occurs across network 112. Server 102includes patient data 120. Biometric readers 122 and 124 are coupled toemergency vehicle computing system 106 and hospital computing system108.

Briefly, some embodiments of heath care data management system 100operate to provide quick and convenient access to patient data 120,while protecting the privacy of patient data 120 from unauthorizedaccess. For example, health records of a person (generally referred toas a “patient” herein) are stored in patient data 120 of server 102. Ifthe person is involved in an emergency situation, emergency caregiversarrive on the scene with emergency vehicle computing system 106. Abiometric reader 122 is used to read a biometric identifier of thepatient (such as the patient's fingerprint). The health recordsassociated with the patient's fingerprint are then obtained from server102. As a result, the emergency caregivers are able to positivelyidentify the patient (particularly if the patient is unable to identifyherself) and review the health records of the patient immediately (in“real-time”) to assist them in providing proper medical care to thepatient. Similarly, when the patient enters the hospital, the biometricidentifier of the patient is read with biometric reader 124 to provideaccess to the patient's medical records. Other embodiments are alsodescribed herein.

Some embodiments of health care data management system 100 include someor all of the following.

Server 102 is a computing system that stores or is able to accesspatient data 120. Server 102 is in data communication with network 112.In some embodiments server 102 is a Web server that generates data forone or more web pages. The data is communicated across network 112 to acomputing system operating a browser software application. An example ofserver 102 is described with reference to FIG. 2.

In some embodiments server 102 stores patient data 120 in memory ofserver 102. In other embodiments, patient data 120 is stored remotelyfrom server 102, but is accessible to server 102, such as across network112 or another network. In some embodiments patient data 120 is storedin a database or other data record.

Patient data 120 includes information relating to a particular patient.Examples of patient data include medical history data (includingphysician notes, electronic medical records, immunization records,surgical history, medication records, medical treatment records,identification of medical allergies, obstetric history, habit historysuch as a history of smoking or alcohol abuse, and family medicalhistory), mental health history, social history (including employmenthistory, travel history, family history, and common activities), patientinstructions (advance directive, living will, power of attorney forhealth care), and other data relating to the patient. Due to theconfidential nature of patient data 120, measures are taken to carefullysafeguard patient data 120 against unauthorized or improper use. Forexample, in some embodiments patient data 120 is Protected HealthInformation (PHI) that is managed in compliance with Health InsurancePortability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards. Other embodimentsconform to other standards, such as one or more ISO standards. In someembodiments, communication of patient data 120 is performed inaccordance with a secure data communication protocol, such as SecureSockets Layer (SSL).

Records administrator system 104 is a computing system that operates toallow an administrator to oversee the administration of patient data onserver 102. In some embodiments system 104 is the same as server 102,but typically system 104 is a separate computing system. Recordsadministrator system 104 is typically operated by person performing as arecords administrator.

Emergency vehicle computing system 106 is a computing system associatedwith an emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance or other emergencyresponse unit. In some embodiments, emergency vehicle computing system106 communicates wirelessly with network 112. Emergency vehiclecomputing system 106 is typically operated by a caregiver that provideshealth care from the emergency vehicle, such as an EMT. Otherembodiments are used by other emergency responders, such as the police,FBI, and military units. The emergency vehicle computing system 106accesses patient data 120 from server 102 in some embodiments. Examplesof emergency vehicle computing systems 106 include a laptop computer, ahandheld computing system, a tablet computer, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a cell phone, and other computing systems. In someembodiments emergency vehicle computing system 106 is a remote mobilecomputing system.

In some embodiments, emergency vehicle computing system 106 includes awireless communication device. Examples of wireless communicationdevices include a radio transceiver, cell phone, wireless modem,satellite communication system, infrared communication system, and othercommunication systems that communicate using electromagnetic waves.

In some embodiments, emergency vehicle computing system 106 includes abiometric reader 122. The biometric reader 122 is configured to read abiometric identifier of a patient or caregiver. An example of abiometric reader is a fingerprint scanner. One example of a fingerprintscanner is the U.are.U Fingerprint Reader available from DigitalPersona,Inc. of Redwood City, Calif. Another example of a biometric readerincludes a charge coupled device (CCD) for obtaining a digital image ofa face, fingerprint, hand, or eye. Other biometric readers are used inother embodiments, such as a voice recognition system, laser, bloodanalyzer, pulse detector, or keystroke recognition system. In someembodiments multiple biometric readers are used.

Rather than, or in addition to, using a biometric reader, someembodiments include an alternate patient or user identifier. An exampleof a user identifier is a credit-card type device storing one or moreunique identifiers, such as encoding a unique identification number in amagnetic stripe. The credit card can be swiped through a card reader toread the unique identifier. Other identifiers and readers are used inother embodiments, such as a magnetic card and card reader, RFID tag anddetector, and the like.

Hospital computing system 108 is a computing system located in acaregiving facility, such as a hospital or other caregiver facility.Hospital computing system 108 is in data communication with network 112.Hospital computing system 108 is typically operated by a caregiver oremployee of a caregiving facility.

In some embodiments, hospital computing system 108 also includes abiometric reader 124, similar to biometric reader 122 discussed above.

Patient computing system 110 is a computing system typically operated bypatient, such as at the patient's home or office. However, in someembodiments patient computing system 110 is a mobile device, such as alaptop computer, cell phone, personal digital assistant, or othercomputing systems. In some embodiments patient computing system 110operates to communicate data across network 112, such as to accesspatient data 120.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary server 102. Server102 is a computing system that typically includes a processing device202, memory 204, a storage device 206, a communication device 208, aninput device 210, and an output device 212.

In its most basic configuration, server 102 typically includesprocessing device 202, memory 204, and communication device 208. Otherembodiments include other components, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, oryet other components.

Processing device 202 is a device that processes a set of instructions.One example of processing device 202 is a microprocessor. Alternatively,various other processing devices may also be used including centralprocessing units (“CPUs), microcontrollers, programmable logic devices,field programmable gate arrays, digital signal processing (“DSP”)devices, and the like. Processing devices may be of any general varietysuch as reduced instruction set computing (RISC) devices, complexinstruction set computing devices (“CISC”), or specially designedprocessing devices such as an application-specific integrated circuit(“ASIC”) device.

Examples of memory 204 include volatile (such as RAM), and non-volatile(such as ROM and flash) memory. In some embodiments, memory 204 is partof processing device 202, while in other embodiments memory 204 isseparate from or in addition to that of processing device 202.

In some embodiments, server 102 also includes an additional storagedevice 206. Storage device 206 stores digital data. For example, someembodiments of server 102 include removable storage or non-removablestorage, including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks ortape.

Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable andnon-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storageof information such as computer readable instructions, data structures,program modules or other data. Memory 204 and storage device 206 areexamples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, butis not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memorytechnology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other opticalstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used tostore the desired information and that can be accessed by server 102.Any such computer storage media may be part of server 102.

In some embodiments, memory 204 and/or storage device 206 store datainstructions including one or more of an operating system, applicationprograms, other program modules, and program data.

Server 102 also includes communication device 208 that allows server 102to communicate with other devices, such as across network 112 (shown inFIG. 1). Communications device 208 is an example of communication media.Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions,data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated datasignal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includesany information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means asignal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed insuch a manner as to encode information in the signal. Examples ofcommunication media include wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radiofrequency, infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readablemedia as used herein includes both storage media and communicationmedia.

In some embodiments, server 102 includes one or more input devices 210,such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device,or other input device. Some embodiments include one or more outputdevices 212, such as a display, speaker, printer, or other outputdevice.

The computing system described above with reference to server 102 isalso an example of other computing systems described herein. Forexample, in some embodiments records administrator computing system 104,emergency vehicle computing system 106, hospital computing system 108,and patient computing system 110 are also computing systems as describedabove.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary server 102. Server102 includes Web server 302, database 304, administrative systeminterface 306, patient system interface 308, and caregiver systeminterface 310. Other embodiments include more or fewer features,functions, or modules.

Web server 302 is a computer program that operates to communicate datadefining one or more Web pages, such as across network 112 (shown inFIG. 1). Examples of Web server software applications include InternetInformation Services from Microsoft Corporation and Apache HTTP Server.In some embodiments Web server operates to receive Hyper Text TransferProtocol (HTTP) requests from clients (such as systems 104, 106, 108, or110) and to serve HTTP responses along with data content, such as Webpages formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

Database 304 stores patient data 120. Patient data 120 is typicallyassociated with a single patient, such that database 304 includes aplurality of patient data records.

In some embodiments server 102 includes separate interface modules forcommunicating with particular groups of users. For example, server 102includes administrative system interface 306 for communicating with anadministrator (such as through records administrator system 104),patient system interface 308 for communicating with a patient (such asthrough patient computing system 110), and caregiver system interface310 for communicating with a caregiver (such as through emergencyvehicle system 106 or hospital system 108). It is sometimes desirable toprovide separate interfaces for different groups of users, such as toprovide different access rights to each group. For example, a patientusing patient computing system 110 is typically limited to accessing hisor her own patient data 120, while a caregiver using a caregivercomputing system such as system 108 will typically have access to thepatient data of more than one patient. In some embodiments systeminterfaces 306, 308, and 310 are custom software applications thatcontrol access rights and define particular Web pages to be displayed tothe associated group. In some embodiments, system interfaces 306, 308,and 310 also define one or more communication protocols and operate tocommunicate data according to the protocols. For example, in someembodiments some or all communication between server 102 and one or moregroups of users occurs through one of system interfaces 306, 308, and310 rather than through Web server 302. In this way, data iscommunicated between the user system (e.g., emergency vehicle system106) and server 102 according to a customized or other communicationprotocol.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary patient computingsystem 110. Patient computing system 110 includes Web browser 402 andserver interface 404.

Web browser 402 is a software application operating on patient computingsystem 110 that operates to communicate with Web server 302 (shown inFIG. 3), such as to display Web pages from Web server 302. In someembodiments Web browser operates to send HTTP requests to Web server 302and to receive HTTP responses along with data content from Web server302. Examples of Web browser 402 include INTERNET EXPLORER® internetbrowser by Microsoft Corporation and the FIREFOX® Internet browser bythe Mozilla Foundation.

In some embodiments patient computing system 110 includes serverinterface 404 for communicating with patient system interface 308 (shownin FIG. 3) of server 102. In some embodiments, server interface 404 is acustom software application that defines one or more communicationprotocols and operates to communicate data according to the protocols.

The system described above with reference to patient computing system110 is also an example of other systems described herein, such asrecords administrator system 104, emergency vehicle system 106, andhospital system 108. In some embodiments these systems includeadditional modules. For example, in some embodiments hospital system 108includes a hospital database interface for accessing data availablethrough a hospital intranet or database.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method 500 of operatinga health care data management system. Method 500 includes two periods—apreparation period 502 and a health care period 504, which are separatedby a health care event 506. Preparation period 502 includes operations510, 512, and 514. Health care period includes operations 520 and 522.

Preparation period 502 begins with operation 510 to store a biometricidentifier associated with a patient. In some embodiments operation 510is a user registration process. For example, a fingerprint is scannedand a biometric identifier is generated based on unique features of thefingerprint. The biometric identifier is then stored in memory, such ason a server.

Operation 512 is then performed to enter patient information associatedwith the biometric identifier. For example, the patient's name and dateof birth are stored in a database record associated with the biometricidentifier. In some embodiments, patient data 120 (shown in FIG. 1) isstored in the database and associated with the biometric identifier. Insome embodiments operation 512 is performed before operation 510.

After operations 510 and 512, operation 514 is performed to update andaccess patient information as needed. For example, a patient accessesthe patient info on server 102 through patient computing system 110(shown in FIG. 1). The patient is allowed to edit and update some or allof the patient information as needed. The patient also adds additionalpatient information in some embodiments.

Health care event 506 separates preparation period 502 from health careperiod 504. Health care event 506 is, for example, an event which causesa caregiver to access patient data. Examples of health care eventsinclude a health emergency (e.g., heart attack), a routine healthcheckup, a visit to a physician's office, the performance of adiagnostic test, prescribing a medication, performing an immunization,death, and birth of a child.

Upon the occurrence of health care event 506, operation 520 is performedby a caregiver to access patient data using the biometric identifier. Insome embodiments, operation 520 involves reading a biometric identifierfrom a patient, such as a fingerprint. The biometric identifier ismatched with patient data associated with the biometric identifier. Thecaregiver is then given access to the patient data associated with thepatient. The patient data assists the caregiver in providing properhealth care to the patient.

In some embodiments, health care costs are reduced because caregiversare able to provide proper health care and do not perform unnecessarytesting or treatment. For example, if a test has already been performed,information about the results of the test are available to the caregiversuch that retesting may not be necessary. Similarly, if a therapy hasalready been provided (or tests have already confirmed that therapy isnot necessary), the caregiver is provided with this information so thatthe caregiver does not unnecessarily provide the therapy. For example,if a patient has already been immunized against a condition, thecaregiver is provided with that information to prevent the caregiverfrom re-immunizing the patient. Health care costs are reduced in someembodiments by preventing improper treatment. For example, if a patientis allergic to a particular drug, allergy information is provided to thecaregiver so that the caregiver does not administer that drug.

In some embodiments, using the biometric identifier provides fast andsecure access to patient information that is authenticated as beingassociated with the patient by using the biometric identifier. As aresult, a caregiver is able to quickly access the patient informationneeded to provide proper health care. As a result, treatment is notdelayed while caregivers wait to obtain health records, such as by faxfrom the patients primary caregiver.

Operation 522 is then performed to update patient data regarding thehealth care event. For example, a caregiver enters information about thehealth care event (such as a description of a medical condition ordiagnostic test that was performed), how the event was treated (such asby prescribing a medication), and the results of the event (such as thatthe medication took away the symptoms). Any other patient informationmay be updated as desired during operation 522.

In some embodiments, operation 522 involves billing of medical expensesincurred. In some embodiments, caregivers provide invoices (such as bysending the invoices to server 102, shown in FIG. 1). In someembodiments, invoices are then electronically delivered to the patient(such as through patient system 110, shown in FIG. 1). In otherembodiments, invoices are sent electronically to a health care companyor governmental health care system. Examples of governmental health caresystems include Medicare and Medicaid. In some embodiments billing isperformed more quickly. In some embodiments, records of invoices andassociated payments (by patient or health care company/system) arestored with the patient's records.

In some embodiments operation 522 also involves medical transcription.For example, a caregiver records dictation of medical care or diagnosisthat was performed, such as in a digital audio file. The digital audiofile is then transferred to server (e.g., server 102, shown in FIG. 1).In some embodiments, the server transfers the file to a medicaltranscription service that converts the dictation into a medical record.The medical record is then transferred back to the server and stored inthe patient's records. In some embodiments the audio file is also oralternatively stored in the patient's records.

Health care period 504 is then concluded, such that method 500 returnsto operation 514 of preparation period 502, where patient data isupdated or accessed as needed.

Example embodiments will now be described with reference to exemplarygraphical user interfaces. In some embodiments the graphical userinterfaces are defined by Web pages that are hosted on a server 102 ofsystem 100. Users can access these pages using a Web browser.

FIG. 6 is a screen shot of an exemplary login interface 600. Logininterface 600 includes username prompt 602, password prompt 604, andlogin button 606.

In some embodiments a graphical user interface begins with logininterface 600. In some embodiments, login interface is defined by server102 and is displayed by a computing system, such as patient computingsystem 110 (or another computing system including records administratorsystem 104, emergency vehicle system 106, or hospital system 108), shownin FIG. 1.

Login interface 600 prompts a user to enter a username and a password inorder to proceed. Username prompt 602 prompts the user for a usernameand password prompt 604 prompts the user for a password.

After the username and password have been entered by a user, the userthen selects login button 606. In some embodiments, upon selection oflogin button 606 the username and password are communicated to a serverfor evaluation. If the username and password match a username andpassword for an active user account, the user is allowed to gain accessinto the system. For example, a home interface is next displayed in someembodiments, such as shown in FIG. 7.

In some embodiments a user account is associated with a role. Examplesof user roles include a patient role, an administrator role, and acaregiver role. The role associated with a user account defines theaccess rights and permissions available to that set of users. In someembodiments different user interface displays are displayed to differentusers according to the associated user role.

FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an exemplary home interface 700. Homeinterface 700 includes navigation tabs 702 and incoming patients display704. Navigation tabs 702 include home tab 710, patient tab 712,administrative tools tab 714, and help tab 716. Incoming patientsdisplay 704 includes search window 720, refresh button 722, totalincoming display 724, and search result window 726. Search window 720includes status prompt 730, date prompt 732, and search button 734.

Navigation tabs 702 are displayed on many interface pages to allow theuser to quickly navigate among various pages of the graphical userinterface. In some embodiments, tabs 702 include home tab 710, patienttab 712, administrative tools tab 713, and help tab 716. In someembodiments, navigation tabs 702 provide a drop-down menu identifying aset of available web pages when one of the navigation tabs 702 isselected. Selection of a navigation tab includes a mouse-over or clickof an input device on one of the navigation tabs 702, in someembodiments. A keyboard input or other input signal is provided toselect a navigation tab 702 in other embodiments.

Home tab 710 is a navigation tab that causes home interface 700 to bedisplayed.

Patient tab 712 provides a drop down list of options. Exemplary optionsinclude Patient Search and Patient Search Admin. If the user selectsPatient Search, the Patient Search interface is displayed, such as shownin FIG. 12. If the user selects Patient Search Admin, the Client Searchinterface is displayed, such as shown in FIG. 13.

Administrative tools tab 714 provides a drop down list of options.Exemplary options include Company Profile, Menu Manager, User Search,Add Patient, User Profile, Track Users, Track Changes, and Manage Roles.If the user selects Company Profile, the Company Profile interface isdisplayed, such as shown in FIG. 16. If the user selects Menu Manager,the Menu Manager interface is displayed, such as shown in FIG. 17. Ifthe user selects User Search, the User Search interface is displayed,such as shown in FIG. 18. If the user selects Add Patient, a blankclient profile interface is displayed, such as shown in FIG. 14. If theuser selects User Profile, the User Profile interface is displayed, suchas shown in FIG. 19. If the user selects Track Users, the User Loginterface is displayed, such as shown in FIG. 20. If the user selectsTrack Changes, the Track Changes interface is displayed, such as shownin FIG. 21. If the user selects Manage Roles, the Manage Roles interfaceis displayed, such as shown in FIG. 22.

Help tab 716 provides a drop down list of options. Exemplary optionsinclude Print Forms, About, and Contact Us. If the user selects PrintForms, the Print Forms interface is displayed, such as shown in FIG. 23.If the user selects About, the About interface is displayed. The Aboutinterface provides information about the people or company that arecurrently operating the system. Information includes a history of thecompany, biographies of individuals associated with the system, anidentification of a version number of the system, a description of themission or purpose of the company, information about the contract thatthe user has with the company, or any other desired information. If theuser selects Contact Us, the Contact Us interface is displayed whichprovides contact information to the user. Examples of contactinformation include an address, telephone number, e-mail address, and anonline form for submission of an e-mail message.

Incoming patients display 704 includes search window 720, refresh button722, total incoming display 724, and search results window 726. Theincoming patients display 704 is displayed on home interface 700 toallow a caregiver to quickly locate information regarding patients.

Search window 720 includes status prompt 730, date prompt 732, andsearch button 734. In some embodiments, when status prompt 730 isselected by a user, a drop down window is displayed that provides a listof available status identifiers. Examples of status identifiers includeAll, Arrived, Cancelled, In Transit, and Patient Expired. The All statusidentifier allows a user to search for all patients regardless ofstatus, and includes patients associated with all of the other statusidentifiers. The Arrived status identifier is associated with patientsthat have arrived at the health care facility. The Cancelled statusidentifier is associated with a patient that was previously indicatedwith another status identifier (such as In Transit or Arrived), but wassubsequently cancelled, such as due to the recovery of the patient to asufficient level that further health care is not required. The InTransit status identifier is associated with a patient that is intransit to the health care facility. In transit includes a patient thatis being transported by an emergency vehicle or a patient who isexpected, such as because a telephone call was received indicating thatthe patient is coming to the health care facility. The Patient Expiredstatus identifier is associated with a patient that has died.

Date prompt 732 allows a user to identify a date to be searched. In someembodiments when a user selects the date prompt 732 a calendar isdisplayed. The user then navigates to the appropriate date and selectsthat date or range of dates.

After the status and date have been selected, a user then selects searchbutton 734 to submit the status and date information. A search is thenconducted to identify all users having the selected status identifier onthe selected date. The search results are then displayed in searchresults window 726.

In some embodiments, the search is performed as follows. The searchcriteria are received by a server computing system indicating the statusidentifier and the date to be searched. Patient information, such asstored in a database of the server is then searched to find patientsthat match the search criteria. The resulting list of patients is thenreturned to the user's computing system that requested the searchresults and is displayed in search results window 726, such as shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a screen shot of an exemplary home interface 700 after runninga search. As described above, home interface 700 includes incomingpatients display 704. Incoming patients display 704 includes searchwindow 720, refresh button 722, total incoming display 724, and searchresult window 726. Search window 720 includes status prompt 730, dateprompt 732, and search button 734.

The example illustrated in FIG. 8 shows home interface 700 after anexemplary search has been conducted for patients matching particularsearch criteria. The search criteria in this example included patientshaving a status identifier of In Transit on the date of 07/03/2008.

Search results window 726 displays three search results that were foundfor the exemplary search. For each search result, information isdisplayed. In this example, the information includes an Estimate Time ofArrival (ETA), Patient's Name, Status, Date, and Notes. Other searchresults have other information displayed as appropriate for theparticular search. For each search result, the Patient's Name is ahyperlink to the associated Patient Profile interface. For example, theuser selects the patient's name “Kris Kringle” associated with the firstsearch result to bring up Patient Profile Interface 900, shown in FIG.9.

If a user desires to update the search results display without changingthe search criteria, refresh button 722 is selected. Upon selection ofrefresh button 722, a new search is performed using the previouslydefined search criteria. The results are displayed in search resultswindow 726.

FIG. 9 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient profile interface 900.Patient profile interface 900 includes navigational buttons 902, statusdisplay 904, and patient profile 906. Navigational buttons 902 includeGo To Status button 910, Power of Attorney button 912, and Back toIncoming button 914. Patient profile 906 includes photo section 920,general info section 922, and medical conditions section 924.

Patient profile interface 900 is an interface that provides informationregarding a particular patient. In some embodiments the informationincludes data from patient data 120, shown in FIG. 1.

Navigational buttons 902 are selectable by a user to jump to a differentinterface display. When a user selects Go To Status button 910, apatient status interface (such as shown in FIG. 10) is displayed that isassociated with the currently identified patient. When a user selectsPower of Attorney button 912, a Power of Attorney interface isdisplayed. The Power of Attorney interface displays informationregarding any Power of Attorney documents that have been executed by thepatient. An example of a Power of Attorney interface is shown in FIG.11. When Back to Incoming button 914 is selected, the Home interface 700is again displayed, such as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Patient profile 906 displays information about a patient. In someembodiments, patient profile 906 includes multiple sections, includingphoto section 920, general info section 922, and medical conditionssection 924. Some embodiments include additional sections not visible inFIG. 9, such as pregnant section, other wishes section, emergencycontact information section, primary physician section, health insurancesection, and detailed patient status section.

Photo section 920 includes a photograph of the patient, if available. Ifno photo is available for a particular patient an image is displayedthat so indicates. General info section 922 displays general informationabout the patient. Examples of general information include first name,last name, address 1, address 2, city, state, zip code, date of birth,blood type, gender, middle name, veteran status, social security number,drivers license number, apartment number, home telephone number, worktelephone number, cell phone number, and e-mail address.

Medical conditions section 924 includes information regarding medicalconditions of the patient. Examples of medical conditions that aredisplayed in medical conditions section 924 include cardio vasculardisorder or disease, respiratory disorder or disease, cancer, diabetes,seizure disorder, other disorder, PIC lines or permanent venous orarterial devices, medical allergies, current medication (includingprescription medication or over the counter medication), visionimpairment, hearing impairment, and speech impairment. In someembodiments, medical conditions are associated with a YES or NO fieldthat indicates whether or not the patient currently has or previouslyhas had the condition, and includes a note field where further detailsregarding the condition are displayed.

Another possible section is a pregnant section that identifies whetheror not the patient is currently pregnant, such as with a YES or NO fieldin the section. In some embodiments, the pregnant section also includescheck boxes identifying special considerations relating to thepregnancy. For example, a first check box is associated with a statement“If I am pregnant and cannot speak for myself, I want all lifesavingprocedures for myself, even if I am declared legally brain dead, ifthere is a chance that prolonging my life could allow my child to beborn alive. My attorney-in-fact must honor this declaration.” A secondcheck box is associated with a statement “If I am pregnant and cannotspeak for myself, I want any medical procedures that could prevent mydeath even if they could result in the death of my unborn child,provided all possible efforts are made to save the life of my unbornbaby.”

Another possible section is an Other Wishes section. In some embodimentsthe Other Wishes section is a text box that displays any other wishesthat a patient would like made known to a caregiver during a healthevent.

Another possible section is an Emergency Contact Information section.This section displays information identifying who should be contactedupon an emergency. Examples of emergency contact information containedin this section include the contact information for one or moreemergency contacts. For each contact, contact information includescontacts name, home telephone number, work telephone number, and cellphone number.

In some embodiments, the Emergency Contact Information section includesan automatic notification option. For example, each emergency contactincludes an option for automatic emergency notification. If automaticemergency notification is selected, the system will automaticallycontact the person in the manner indicated upon the occurrence of ahealth event. For example, the system determines that a health event hasoccurred when the patient's status is set to In Transit, Arrived, orPatient Expired. In another embodiment, a health event is deemed to haveoccurred whenever a caregiver accesses the patient's profile. In yetanother embodiment, a health event is deemed to have occurred whenever acaregiver (using a caregiver computing system) enters the patient'sbiometric identifier, such as by scanning the patient's fingerprint withthe computing system. Once the system determines that a health event hasoccurred, the emergency contact(s) that have the automatic emergencynotification feature enabled will be notified that a health event hasoccurred. Such notification can include an e-mail message, a textmessage, a telephone call with a voice message, a facsimile, or anyother suitable communication. In some embodiments the notification isonly a notification that a health event has occurred to the patient. Inother embodiments, additional information is provided, such as the nameand address of the caregiver facility that the patient is going to orbeing treated at, a description of the health event, a contact telephonenumber or web address where the emergency contact can get moreinformation about the health event, or other information. In someembodiments, the emergency contact can access an emergency contactinterface Web page that provides further information.

Some embodiments implement a Child Health Watch Program. In thisprogram, system 100 (shown in FIG. 1) operates to store informationabout a child. Children are registered in the system by entering thechild's name and other information. Examples of such information aredescribed herein, and include medical history, and emergency contactinformation. In some embodiments, all students in a school or schooldistrict are registered. In other embodiments, all students ofparticular school programs or extracurricular activities are registered.In other embodiments, registration is voluntary and done individually bythe child or the child's parents. Some embodiments include children whohave a history of abuse, neglect, or being exploited. Other embodimentsinclude children in foster care or adoption. Upon the occurrence of ahealth event, emergency, or other event, emergency responders aredispatched. The emergency responders access the child's records, such asby using a biometric identifier of the child or performing a keywordsearch for the record. The child's information is then immediatelyavailable for use by the emergency responder. In some embodiments, assoon as the emergency responder accesses the child's information, thesystem operates to contact an emergency contact (such as a parent) toalert the parent that the record has been accessed by an emergencyresponder or other caregiver. Some embodiments provide the same programfor adults or people of all ages.

Some embodiments are also used for routine medical care. For example,people that are transitory often do not see the same caregiver for long,and instead move between caregivers. In the process, medical records areoften lost or unavailable to a subsequent caregiver. As a result, thesystem described herein is used in some embodiments to provide a centralrepository for patient data, such that regardless of where the patientis or what caregiver is providing the care, the same patient informationis always available.

Another possible section is a Primary Caregiver section. The PrimaryPhysician section displays information about the primary caregiver.Examples of information about the primary caregiver include thecaregiver's name, direct telephone number, facility name, and facilitytelephone number.

Another possible section is a Health Insurance section that displaysinformation about the patient's health care coverage. Examples of healthcare information include provider name, provider telephone number, nameof policy holder, and policy number.

Another possible section is a Patient Status section that displaysinformation regarding the patient's status. An example of a PatientStatus section is included in the Patient Status interface, shown inFIG. 10.

Another possible section is a Special Care Instructions section thatdisplays information regarding the patient's desires for care upon theoccurrence of a health event. In one example, Special Care Instructionsincludes a list of possible special care instructions associated with aYES or a NO. A YES indicates that the patient does want the caregiver tofollow the associated Special Care Instruction and NO indicates that thepatient does not want the caregiver to follow the associated SpecialCare Instruction. Examples of Special Care Instructions include do notresuscitate, do not intubate, do not resuscitate comfort care only, fullcode, cardiac resuscitation, medication for pain only to the extent thatit would not seriously threaten to shorten my life,intubation/ventilators, hydration/IV tube, feeding tube,medication/treatment/hospitalization as needed.

Another possible section is an Organ Donor section that identifieswhether or not particular organs should be donated upon death of thepatient. Examples of organs include liver, heart valves, kidneys,skin/tissue, pancreas, bone/ligament, heart, veins, lungs, and eyes.

Another possible section is a Legal Acceptances section that identifieslegal items for consideration by a caregiver. Examples include variousstatements. One possible statement is “I state that this is my AdvanceDirective Packet housed and distributed by Company A and that I am ofsound mind and not under or subject to duress, fraud, or undueinfluence.” Another possible statement is “I am a competent adult whounderstands and accepts the consequences of this action.” Anotherpossible statement is “These choices given above are to be implementedin the event that I am unable to give directives pertaining to my healthcare.” Another possible statement is “I wish this Advance DirectivePacket Declaration to be honored by my family and physicians as thefinal expression of my legal right to request or refuse healthcare.

In some embodiments, patient profile interface 900 is not only a displaythat provides information about a patient, but also receives informationfrom a user to update the patient's profile. For example, the patientlogs into the system through patient computing system 110 (shown inFIG. 1) and accesses patient profile interface 900. The patient thenenters or edits the information as needed. Alternatively, data may onlybe edited by an administrator in some embodiments. For example, apatient communicates with the administrator and the administrator makeschanges to the patient profile as needed. A benefit of this is that theadministrator can act to ensure that information is not improperlychanged for added security. In some embodiments a caregiver is allowedto edit and modify information in the patient profile.

More or less information is included in patient profile interface 900 insome embodiments.

Some embodiments include a method of entering patient information. Themethod includes hosting a seminar for participating users. The seminarprovides educational information to the users to educate users abouttheir choices and counsel clients through the completion of predefinedforms, which may be arranged into a single packet. The seminar alsoincludes taking of a photograph, reading a biometric identifier (such asfingerprinting the user), and notarizing any legal documents. In someembodiments an Attorney is available for consultation. In someembodiments the user signs a HIPPA compliant form that authorizes thedata to be stored and communicated via electronic form, such as via aWeb site. In some embodiments a corporate seal is applied to thecompleted packet to verify authenticity and legality. After the patientinformation has been gathered, it is entered into a database, eithermanually or via an automated process, such as by scanning the forms andoptically recognizing the data entered into the forms.

FIG. 10 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient status interface 1000.Patient status interface 1000 displays information regarding the statusof a patient and includes navigation button 1002 and patient statusdisplay 1004. Patient status display 1004 includes patient informationsection 1010, add new status record section 1012, and patient statussection 1014. Add new status record section 1012 includes status prompt1020, estimated time of arrival prompt 1022, notes field 1024, and addbutton 1026. Patient status section 1014 includes patient status display1030, edit button 1032, and delete button 1034.

In this example, navigation button 1002 is a Back To Profile button.When the navigation button 1002 is selected by a user, the PatientProfile interface associated with the patient is again displayed, suchas shown in FIG. 9.

Patient status display 1004 displays information regarding the status ofthe patient. In some embodiments the information is divided intomultiple sections. In this example, patient status display 1004 includespatient information section 1010, Add New Status Record section 1012,and Patient Status section 1014.

Patient information section 1010 displays general information about thepatient. An example of general information is described with referenceto FIG. 9 above. More or less information about the patient can bedisplayed here as desired.

Add new status record section 1012 is a section where a caregiver canenter a new status record regarding the patient. In this example, addnew status record section 1012 includes a status prompt 1020, anestimate time of arrival prompt 1022, notes field 1024, and add button1026. Status prompt 1020 includes a pull down menu that allows a user toidentify the current status of the patient as Arrived, Cancelled, InTransit, or Patient Expired, for example. If the status is In Transit,then Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) prompt 1022 is provided for thecaregiver to enter the estimated time of arrival of the patient. In someembodiments ETA is computed automatically based upon the position of thepatient in an emergency vehicle. For example, a global positioningsystem (GPS) tracks the position of the emergency vehicle relative tothe caregiver facility. The estimated transit time between the currentposition and the caregiver facility is computed as the ETA. Notes field1024 is provided for a caregiver to enter notes regarding the currentstatus of the patient.

Once the current status has been identified by a caregiver, thecaregiver selects Add button 1026. The status is then updated in thesystem, and displayed in patient status section 1014.

Patient status section 1014 identifies the current status of the patientand includes patient status display 1030, edit button 1032, and deletebutton 1034. Patient status display 1030 shows the patients currentstatus. For example, the current status is displayed with a status IDnumber (e.g., 12), a status identifier (e.g., Arrived), an ETA (e.g.,25), and a date and time that the status was last updated (e.g.,12/11/2007 11:47:14 PM).

In some embodiments the patient's status includes additionalinformation, such as the particular room number of the patient, thelocation of the patient at the present time (e.g., surgery in operatingroom B), or other information.

A caregiver can update the patient's status using Edit or Delete buttons1032 and 1034. Upon selection of Edit button 1032, the caregiver isallowed to update the patient's status. If the caregiver wants to deletea status entry, delete button 1034 is selected. The updated statusinformation is then stored by the server.

FIG. 11 is a screen shot of an exemplary Power of Attorney interface1100. Power of Attorney interface 1100 includes navigation button 1102and Power of Attorney information 1104. Power of Attorney information1104 includes multiple sections, such as general information section1106, family or friends information section 1108, Power of Attorneystatement section 1110, and naming of agent section 1112.

In this embodiment, navigation button 1102 is a Back to Profile buttonthat, when selected by a user, returns to the Patient profile interface,such as shown in FIG. 9.

As noted above, Power of Attorney information 1104 includes multiplesections, such as general information section 1106, family or friendsinformation section 1108, Power of Attorney statement section 1110, andnaming of agent section 1112.

Patient information section 1106 displays general information about thepatient. An example of general information is described with referenceto FIG. 9 above. More or less information about the patient can bedisplayed here is desired.

Family or friends information section 1108 displays contact informationfor some of the patient's closest family or friends. Examples of contactinformation include the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of thecontacts.

Power of Attorney statement section 1110 includes a statement regardingpower of attorney. An example statement is “I state that this is myHealthcare Power of Attorney and I abolish any prior Healthcare Power ofAttorney signed by me before this prior date. I understand the natureand purpose of this document. If any provision is found to be invalid orunenforceable, it will not affect the rest of this document. Thishealthcare power-of-attorney is in effect only when I cannot make healthcare decisions for myself. This does not require or imply that a courtmust declare me incompetent.”

Naming of agent section 1112 is a section that identifies the agent willhave the power of attorney identified in the power of attorney statementsection 1110. Naming of agent section 1112 includes a statement such asthe following “The person named below is my agent will make health caredecisions for me as authorized in this document.” This section alsoincludes an identification of the agent, such as including the agent'sname, address, and telephone number.

Another possible section is an alternate agent section. The alternateagent section identifies one or more alternate agents who will be giventhe power of attorney identified in power of attorney statement section1110 in the event that the agent named in the naming of agent section1112 is unable to perform. In some embodiments, the alternate agentsection includes a first alternate agent and a second alternate agent.The agents are identified by the name, address, and telephone number,for example. In addition, the alternate agent section can include astatement such as the following: “Any persons can rely on a statement byany alternate agent named above that he or she is properly acting underthis document and such person does not have to make any furtherinvestigation or inquiry.”

Another possible section is an additional instructions or limitationssection. Additional instructions can include, for example, contactinformation for who the person named as power of attorney shouldcontact, such as a first contact and a second contact, to inform thecontacts that the agent is going to act on the power of attorney.Additional instructions or limitations can be manually provided into atext box in some embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient search interface 1200.The patient search interface allows a search to be performed to locatepatient records matching search criteria. Patient search interface 1200includes search fields 1202, search by print button 1204, and searchresults 1206.

Search fields 1202 include last name prompt 1210, patient ID prompt1212, social security prompt 1214, and search button 1216, for example.Last name prompt 1210 is a field where a user enters a last name or partof a last name to be searched. Patient ID prompt 1212 is a field where auser enters a patient identification number or part of theidentification number to be searched. Social security prompt 1214 is afield where a user enters a social security number or part of a socialsecurity number (such as the last four digits) to be searched. A usercan enter search criteria into one or more of the search fields 1202 andthen click search button 1216 to search the patient records. The searchcriteria are then used by the server to search through the patientrecords to find those records that match the search criteria. Theresults are displayed in search results 1206.

Search by print button 1204 is selected by a user to initiate a searchby a biometric identifier, such as a fingerprint. Upon selection ofsearch by print button 1204, a biometric reader is activated to read thebiometric identifier. When the biometric identifier is received, theserver uses the identifier to search for the matching patient record.

After a search has been performed based on the search criteria providedin search fields or based on the biometric identifier of the patient,the search results 1206 are displayed. In the illustrated example, asearch has been performed for any patients that have a last namebeginning with “Duck.” Two matching patients are listed, includingDonald Duck and Daffy Duck. The patient name of each matching record isa hyperlink that can be selected by a user to bring the user to thepatient profile interface associated with the patient.

FIG. 13 is a screen shot of an exemplary client search interface 1300.Some embodiments include a client search interface 1300 in addition tothe Patient Search interface shown in FIG. 12. The client searchinterface 1300 is typically used by an administrator rather than acaregiver. Client search interface 1300 includes search fields 1302 andsearch results 1304.

Search fields 1302 include last name prompt 1310, patient ID prompt1312, social security prompt 1314, and search button 1316, for example.Last name prompt 1310 is a field where a user enters a last name or partof a last name to be searched. Patient ID prompt 1312 is a field where auser enters a patient identification number or part of theidentification number to be searched. Social security prompt 1314 is afield where a user enters a social security number or part of a socialsecurity number (such as the last four digits) to be searched. A usercan enter search criteria into one or more of the search fields 1302 andthen click search button 1316 to search the patient records. The searchcriteria are then used by the server to search through the patientrecords to find those records that match the search criteria. Theresults are displayed in search results 1304.

Search results 1304 displays the list of records that match the searchcriteria. In some embodiments each search result includes a patient IDnumber 1320, registered biometric identifier link 1322, edit profilelink 1324, patient records link 1326, patient name 1328, telephonenumber 1330, and social security number 1332.

Registered biometric identifier link is selectable by a user to navigateto a biometric identifier interface screen where the biometricidentification information may be reviewed or updated, such as tore-scan a biometric identifier. Edit profile link is selectable by auser to navigate to a client profile interface, such as shown in FIG.14, where the patient's information can be reviewed and updated asneeded. The patient records link is selectable by a user to navigate tothe patient records interface, such as shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 14 is a screen shot of an exemplary client profile interface 1400.Client profile interface 1400 displays information associated with apatient. In some embodiments, client profile interface 1400 is designedfor use by an administrator. Client profile interface 1400 includesbuttons 1402 and profile information 1404. Buttons 1402 includeSave/Update button 1410 and Power of Attorney button 1412. Profileinformation 1404 includes login information section 1420, generalinformation section 1422, and emergency contact information section1424.

Save/Update button 1410 is selectable by a user when updated informationentered into the profile information 1404 should be saved. Uponselection of the Save/Update button 1410, profile information 1404 isstored to memory.

When Power of Attorney button 1412 is selected by a user the Power ofAttorney interface (such as shown in FIG. 11) associated with thecurrent patient is displayed.

As stated above, profile information 1404 includes login informationsection 1420, photo section 1421, general information section 1422, andemergency contact information 1424. Profile information 1404 can beviewed by the user or can be changed, if needed. If a change is made,the user then selects Save/Update button 1410.

Login information section 1420 displays various information associatedwith the user login process. Examples of such information include ausername and password, a change password option, and an activateadvanced directives option.

The change password option provides a safeguard against inadvertentlychanging the users password. In order to change the password, thisoption is first selected. Upon selection of this option, the passwordprompt is then unlocked so that the new password can be entered. TheSave/Update button is then selected to store and lock the new password.In some embodiments the current password is not displayed in logininformation section 1420 unless the change password option is selectedto provide added security.

The activate advanced directives option selects whether or not thepatient account includes advanced directives. If so, advance directiveoptions are enabled.

Photo section 1421 includes a photograph of the patient. The photographcan be selected or changed by choosing a Browse button and identifyingthe photograph file associated with the patient.

General information section 1422 displays general information about thepatient, such as described above. Information can be changed or enteredas needed.

Emergency contact information section 1424 provides information aboutwho to contact in the event of an emergency. Emergency contactinformation can be changed or entered as needed.

Other sections can be included in client profile interface 1400 asdesired. Examples of other sections are discussed above.

FIG. 15 is a screen shot of an exemplary patient records interface 1500that displays a list of stored files that are associated with thepatient. Stored files can include any format, such as Portable DocumentFormat (PDF), WORD® document format, JPEG or other image format(including GIF, TIFF, etc.), or other file format. In some embodiments,the files include content that is related to health care. Examplesinclude executed copies of documents, such as an advance directive,living will, power of attorney for health care, or other document.Non-health care specific documents can also be stored, such as a will orother record.

In this example, a single file is currently associated with the patient.To upload additional files, an upload button 1502 is provided. A backbutton 1504 is provided to return the user to the previous interfacepage, such as the client profile interface shown in FIG. 14.

A summary of each file stored in the system is displayed in patientrecords interface 1500. The summary includes, for example, link 1510 tothe actual file, filename 1512, date and time 1514 that the file wasuploaded, user ID 1516 of the user that uploaded the file, and deletebutton 1518 that can be used to delete the file.

FIG. 16 is a screen shot of an exemplary company profile interface 1600.Company profile interface includes information about a particularcompany. In this example, company profile interface 1600 includescompany profile information 1602 and Save/Update button 1604. Thecompany profile information 1602 includes information about the company,such as company name, address, telephone number, contract start and enddates, business type 1610, and primary contact information.

In some embodiments, business type 1610 is selected from hospital ordoctor's office. Other embodiments include other company types, such asemergency medical responder, service provider, or other company types.

After the information has been entered or modified, the Save/Updatebutton is selected to save the information.

FIG. 17 is an exemplary menu manager interface 1700. In some embodimentsthe menu manager interface 1700 is accessible from the home interface(shown in FIG. 7) by selecting menu manager from the administrativetools tab. Menu manager interface 1700 provides options to customizevarious interface screens. In some embodiments the menu managerinterface 1700 is only available to an administrator.

In some embodiments menu manager interface 1700 operates to defineaccess rights to various features and interfaces based upon a user role1702. The user role 1702 is selected from a list of available userroles. Examples of user roles include system administrator, siteadministrator, company administrator, user, default, paramedic,hospital, and company representative.

For each user role 1702, a set of menus 1704 are available. Each menu1704 is associated with a navigation tab, such as tabs 702 shown in FIG.7. Each menu 1704 is associated with a set of submenus 1706. Eachsubmenu is associated with an option of the list of options for theassociated navigation tab.

An administrator can customize the list of menus and submenus that areavailable for a particular user role. To do so, buttons 1708 and 1710are provided. Button 1708 is selectable to delete a selected menu andall of its submenus from the selected role. Button 1710 is selectable todelete a selected submenu from a menu.

Menu information is displayed in menu information section 1712. Submenuinformation is displayed in submenu information section 1714.Information includes the text of the menu or submenu and a Web addressto the interface associated with the menu or submenu.

To update or change information in menu information section 1712 orsubmenu information section 1714, add or update menu section 1716 isprovided.

Additional buttons are provided in some embodiments. Examples includeAdd as new menu to role button 1720, update selected menu button 1722,add as new submenu to selected menu 1724, and update selected submenubutton 1726.

Sample menu display 1730 is provided to show a sample of the navigationtabs as currently defined in menu manager interface 1700.

FIG. 18 is a screen shot of an exemplary user search interface 1800 thatis operable to search through user records to identify one or more useraccounts. User search interface 1800 includes search fields 1802 andsearch results 1804.

Search fields 1802 include last name prompt 1810, user role prompt 1812,username prompt 1814, and search button 1816. The prompts receive inputfrom a user to define search criteria. The search criteria are then usedto perform a search when the user selects search button 1816.

The search is then performed, such as by the server, to identify theuser records that match the search criteria. The results are displayedin search results 1804. In some embodiments each search result includesa status identifier, a profile check box, a username, a role, and ane-mail address. The username is a hyperlink to the user profileinterface, shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 19 is a screen shot of an exemplary user profile interface 1900that displays user information and allows the user information to beupdated as needed. User profile interface 1900 includes Save/Updatebutton 1902 and user information 1904.

After user information has been entered or modified, Save/Update button1902 is selected by a user to store the user information.

User information 1904 includes associations section 1906, photo section1908, login information section 1910, contact information section 1912,and fingerprint registration section 1914.

Associations section 1906 includes information such as active status(active or inactive), title, company name, office ID, and employee ID.

Photo section 1908 includes a photograph of the user, and includes aBrowse button, which when selected allows a user to locate a photo file.The photo is then associated with the user profile and displayed inphoto section 1908.

Login information section 1910 includes information such as login name,display as, member of (such as: system admin, site admin, company admin,paramedic, hospital, or company representative), and login password. Achange password option is provided to change the login password.

Contact information section 1912 includes first name, last name,address, start of service date, telephone number, cell phone number, faxnumber, and e-mail address.

Fingerprint registration section 1914 includes a register fingerprint(or other biometric identifier) option. If the user selects the registerfingerprint option, the user is prompted to enter a biometricidentifier, such as by placing a finger against a fingerprint reader orusing another biometric reader. The fingerprint reader scans thefingerprint. This biometric identifier is then stored as associated withthe user profile.

FIG. 20 is a screen shot of an exemplary user log interface 2000 thatallows a user to search for and review a user log. User log interface2000 includes search fields 2002, search button 2004, and search results2006. User log interface 2000 is accessible, for example, by selecting atrack users option from the administrative tools tab 714, such as shownin FIG. 7. In some embodiments user log interface 2000 is onlyaccessible to an administrator.

Search fields 2002 allow a user to enter search criteria, such as startdate, end date, first name, and last name. After entering the desiredsearch criteria, a search button 2004 is selected to perform a search ofthe user log for entries that match the search criteria. In someembodiments the user log is maintained in a database of the server.

The user log entries that match the search criteria are displayed insearch results 2006. In some embodiments, a summary of each user logentry is displayed. The summary includes logon date, logoff date,username, first name, last name, and IP address.

FIG. 21 is a screen shot of an exemplary track changes interface 2100that allows a user to review changes made to system records, includingpatient or client information. In some embodiments the server maintainsa log of changes that is searchable using track changes interface 2100.Track changes interface includes search fields 2102, search button 2104,and search results 2106. In some embodiments track changes interface2100 is only accessible to an administrator.

Search fields 2102 allow a user to enter search criteria, such as astart date, end date, first name, last name, and username. After thesearch criteria have been entered, a search button 2104 is selected bythe user. A search of the log of changes is then performed.

Search results 2106 displays the list of entries that match the searchcriteria. In some embodiments a summary of each entry is displayed. Thesummary includes a number, username, first name, last name, table,column, page, control, previous value, new value, key name, key value,and date and time when the change was made.

This information allows an administrator to review all changes that weremade, and if necessary, to undo changes that were made. For example, ifit is found that an unauthorized access has occurred, the changes madeduring the unauthorized access can be reversed by the administrator byreviewing the changes that were made by the user during the period ofunauthorized access.

FIG. 22 is a screen shot of an exemplary manage roles interface 2200through which a user can manage user roles. In some embodiments, manageroles interface 2200 is accessible by selecting manage roles from theadministrative tools tab 714, shown in FIG. 7. Manage roles interface2200 includes load new pages section 2202, create new role section 2204,assign pages to role section 2206, add/remove pages section 2208, andassign pages display section 2210.

Load new pages section 2202 includes a button that is selectable by auser to request that new pages be loaded. Upon selection of the button,the system operates to load new pages.

Create new role section 2204 includes a field for identifying a name fora new role and a button for saving the new role.

After a new role is defined with create new role section 2204, pages canbe assigned to the role using assign pages to role section 2206 andadd/remove pages section 2208. In assign pages to role section 2206 theuser selects a role. The user then selects a page to add or remove fromthat role in add/remove pages section 2208. To remove a role altogether,the role is selected and a remove role button is selected in rolesection 2206. To remove a page, the remove page button is selected insection 2208. To add a page, the add page button is selected in section2208. To set a page to the default page for a role, the set to pagebutton is selected in section 2208.

After selecting a particular role in assign pages to role section 2206,the pages assigned to that user role are displayed in assign pagesdisplay section 2210. In some embodiments, assign pages display section2210 includes a rule name and a page name.

FIG. 23 is a screen shot of an exemplary print forms interface 2300. Insome embodiments, print forms interface 2300 is accessible by selectingthe print forms option of help tab 716, shown in FIG. 7. Print formsinterface 2300 includes links 2302 that are associated with variousforms. Examples of forms include terms of use, a HIPPA release, adisclaimer, an advanced directive, and a certification of DNR/DNI. Otherforms may also be included, as desired. Selection of one of links 2302opens the identified document so that the user can review the documentor send the document to a printer.

FIG. 24 is a screen shot of an exemplary health history interface 2400.The health history interface 2400 provides information graphicallyregarding the health history of a patient. In some embodiments, healthhistory interface 2400 includes a general information section 2402, andgraphical body representation section 2404. Graphical bodyrepresentation section 2404 includes body parts 2410 and 2412, historyflags 2420 and 2422, and history summaries 2430 and 2432.

In some embodiments, health related information regarding a patient isdisplayed graphically through health history interface 2400 to provide aconvenient interface for reviewing the health history of a patient.

General information section 2402 provides general information about thepatient, such as the patient's name, date of birth, social securitynumber, blood type, and primary physician. More or less information canbe included in general information section 2402.

Graphical body representation section 2404 includes a graphicalrepresentation of a human body 2405 or body part(s) 2420 and 2422. Inthis example, the body 2405 includes a heart 2410 organ and a knee 2412joint. If the patient has a history of health problems with a particularbody part, history flags 2420 and 2422 are displayed for the respectivebody part. For example, history flag 2420 is associated with heart 2410organ and history flag 2422 is associated with knee 2412 joint.

If a user desires to view more information about a particular body part,the user selects the respective history flag 2420 or 2420, such as bymoving a mouse cursor over the history flag or by clicking on thehistory flag. When history flag 2420 is selected, history summary 2430is displayed to show a summary of health information associated withbody part 2410. In some embodiments the history summary 2430 identifiesa date of a health event, and a brief description of the health event,and a brief description of the treatment provided for the health event.For example, “08/12/2007: Acute myocardial infarction—bypass surgery.”In some embodiments more or less information is provided in the historysummary, such as the date and a brief description of the health event:“12/24/08: atrial arrhythmia.” Similarly, when history flag 2422 isselected, history summary 2432 is displayed to show a summary of healthinformation associated with body part 2412. One example of historysummary 2432 is “04/01/1995: torn ACL,” and “05/12/1995: arthroscopicACL reconstruction.” In some embodiments, the user can select a historyflag 2420 or 2422 or a health summary 2430 or 2432 to be taken to apatient profile interface (or other patient information interface) toobtain more information about the health history.

In some embodiments, upon selection of a body part, such as heart 2410organ or knee 2412 joint, a keyword search is initiated to searchthrough the records associated with the patient to identify recordsincluding the keyword, such as “knee.” The results are then provided ina history summary, such as summary 2430, or listed on a separateinterface screen. In some embodiments, patient records include ananatomy field or set of fields in which a body part or parts areassociated with particular health records. The search involves a searchof the anatomy field or set of fields in some embodiments.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way ofillustration only and should not be construed to limit the claimsattached hereto. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize variousmodifications and changes that may be made without following the exampleembodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, andwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A health care data management system comprising aserver device including a processor and memory, the memory containing adatabase and instructions executable by the processor to perform amethod of managing health care data, the method comprising: registeringa user by receiving user data including a first biometric identifier;storing the user data and the first biometric identifier in the databaseand associating the first biometric identifier with the user data in thedatabase; receiving health care information pertaining to the user andstoring in the user data in the database; receiving from a caregivercomputing system a request including a second biometric identifier;searching the database to identify the first biometric identifier as amatch to the second biometric identifier; and transmitting at least partof the user data associated with the first biometric identifier to thecaregiver computing system in response to the request.
 2. The healthcare data management system of claim 1, wherein the server furthercomprises a web server, and wherein transmitting the at least part ofthe user data is performed by sending data defining a web page.
 3. Thehealth care data management system of claim 1, further comprising anemergency vehicle computing device communicatively coupled to abiometric reader and configured to communicate with the server across adata communication network, wherein the emergency vehicle computingdevice reads the second biometric identifier from the user and sends therequest including the second biometric identifier to the server.
 4. Thehealth care data management system of claim 3, wherein the emergencyvehicle computing device is a mobile computing device used by acaregiver, a police officer, an emergency responder, or a military unit.5. The health care data management system of claim 1, further comprisinga patient computing device configured to communicate with the serveracross a data communication network, wherein the method furthercomprises: receiving a request from the patient computing devicerequesting at least part of the user data; sending to the patientcomputing device the at least part of the user data; receiving updateduser data from the patient computing device; and storing the updateduser data in place of the user data.
 6. The health care data managementsystem of claim 1, wherein the caregiver computing system is located ata caregiver facility, and wherein receiving health care informationpertaining to the user comprises receiving health care information fromthe caregiver computing system.
 7. The health care data managementsystem of claim 1, wherein user data includes at least some of thefollowing: physician notes, electronic medical records, immunizationrecords, surgical history, medication records, medical treatmentrecords, identification of medical allergies, obstetric history, habithistory, family medical history, mental health history, employmenthistory, travel history, family history, common activities, advancedirective, living will, and power of attorney for health care.
 8. Thehealth care data management system of claim 1, wherein receiving fromthe caregiver the request including the second biometric identifierfurther comprises: scanning a fingerprint of the registered user using afingerprint scanner to generate the second biometric identifier at thesecond computing system; and sending the request including the secondbiometric identifier from the caregiver computing system to the server.9. A method of graphically presenting health information relating to apatient, the method comprising: displaying a graphical representation ofat least a portion of a human body of the patient including a first bodypart; displaying a health flag associated with the first body part ofthe patient; receiving an input from a user identifying the first bodypart; and displaying at least part of a health history associated withthe first body part.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprisingsearching a database for an identifier of the first body part afterreceiving an input from the user identifying the first body part, andwherein the health history is a list of search results identified insearching the database.
 11. The method of claim 9, further comprisingdisplaying general information about the patient while displaying thegraphical representation, the general information including at leastsome of the patient's name, the patient's birth date, the patient'ssocial security number, the patient's blood type, and the name of thepatient's primary caregiver.
 12. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising storing health data in a database containing the healthhistory before displaying the graphical representation, the health dataincluding an anatomy field, the anatomy field containing an identifierof the body part.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingsearching the database to identify the health data including anidentifier of the body part after receiving an input from a useridentifying the first body part and before displaying the healthhistory.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the health history is atleast one of: physician notes, electronic medical records, immunizationrecords, surgical history, medication records, medical treatmentrecords, identification of medical allergies, obstetric history, habithistory, family medical history, mental health history, employmenthistory, travel history, family history, common activities, advancedirective, living will, and power of attorney for health care.
 15. Amethod of notifying a first person about the occurrence of an eventpertaining to a registered user, the method comprising: registering auser as a registered user in a database by storing user data including aname and a biometric identifier associated with the registered user inthe database; storing contact information into the user data, thecontact information identifying a manner of communicating with the firstuser; identifying the occurrence of a health event associated with theregistered user; and communicating with the first user according to theidentified manner of communicating to inform the first user that theuser data has been accessed by a caregiver.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein identifying the occurrence of a health event further comprises:receiving a request to access the user data by a caregiver; and sendingat least part of the user data to the caregiver in response to therequest.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving a request toaccess the user data further comprises receiving a request including thebiometric identifier.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:reading a fingerprint of the registered user using a fingerprint scannerto generate the biometric identifier at a computing system; sending therequest to access the user data to the server from the computing system;and receiving at least part of the user data at the computing system.19. The method of claim 16, wherein the manner of communicating isselected from the group consisting of sending an e-mail message to ane-mail address, sending a computer-generated audio message to avoicemail box, making a telephone call to a telephone number and playinga computer-generated or pre-recorded message, sending a facsimile to afax machine using a telephone number, sending a text message to atelephone number, and sending a text message across a computercommunication network.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein communicatingwith the first user occurs automatically using a computing device.